Next Door Neighbor - Larry Stylinson

4 months ago, Taylor left Harry with their daughter Darcy, after deciding she couldn't handle the stress of having a child at 20 years old. Now, Harry lives at home with Anne as they try their best to raise his child without her mother. Next door lives Louis and his mum Johanna. Louis is Harry's childhood best friend, with severe autism. His brain is underdeveloped, so he sees the world through the eyes of a child. Louis doesn't understand many things, but he's somehow grasped that Harry needs someone by his side.

As the two boys fall in love, it's not only Harry that needs Louis but Louis who needs Harry. When tragedy strikes, can Harry move past the grief and distrust in his heart to finally allow himself to admit that he's in love with his next door neighbor?

2. ☆ t w o ☆

Harry's point ofview...

I woke up at around 6AM to Darcy crying hungrily. I groaned and rubbed my tired eyes, "I'm coming babes." I called out. I put my feet on the wood floor and grabbed a bottle for her, heading into her room. I set her on my hip and bounced her softly, "Hey princess. Hey don't cry baby, daddy's got your bottle. Let's get some milk yeah?" I walked with her to the kitchen and poured some milk in the bottle, setting it in the microwave to warm up. I tested it on my wrist and softly popped the rubber part into her mouth. She sucked happily, looking up at me with huge blue eyes. Taylor's eyes.

My heart suddenly began to hurt.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

9:35 AM

My mum was sitting on the sofa playing with Darcy. I smiled at the sight. I wanted to go next door and see Louis before he was off to his day program, I grabbed my sweater. "Mum I'm gonna going to go see Louis before he sets off." She turned to look at me with a smile, "Okay love. Say hi to him and Jay for me." I nodded and headed out the door.

I jogged down my driveway and headed over to his property, knocking on the door softly. Jay opened the door with a forced smile on her face, "Hi Harry. How are you love?" She led me inside and shut the door softly. She looked strained. "Jay is everything alright?" I asked, my hand on her shoulder.

Her lip curled and her hand flew to her mouth, she shook her head.

"Jay? Hey, what's wrong? Is it Louis?" I asked in panic.

She shook her head, "No no. He's alright. He's sleeping.. His day program got canceled due to the teacher having to leave for emergency reasons." She sighed and sat me down at the table, "Harry. I'm sick." She said.

I furrowed my brows, "Do you need medicine? Is it the flu, do you need me to take Louis for a couple - "

"Harry." She interrupted. I then noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes and how exhausted she looked, like she hadn't slept in weeks. "I'm sick. It's not the flu. I went to the doctor's office last weekend, because I was throwing up constantly. I had pain in my hip, I was feeling poorly. He couldn't figure out what was wrong. So he.. he did a scan."

No...

"And it lit up like a Christmas tree." She whispered, looking down at her hands. "My liver, my chest, my lungs... Everywhere."

Everywhere.

The word hung in the air for what seemed like hours before she spoke again.

"I have cancer, Harry. And it's spread. It's stage four, and I will be starting chemo but... They don't think there's anything they can do for me."

Tears rushed to my eyes and I covered my my mouth. "D-Does Louis know?" I asked, my voice shaking. She shook her head, "No. I don't know how I would explain it to him. Harry, I need you to..." She began, but broke off, crying heavily.

I tried my best to console the mother of my best friend, holding her and telling her to take her him as she cried out her pain.

"I need you to take care of him. He has no one left when I go. Don't look at me like that Harry, I'm going to die. They confirmed it. I need you to look after my baby." She said, determined. "No one loves him as much as you. He'll take to you Harry, you're all he has after me. I know it'll be hard because you have Darcy, but I can't send my baby boy to a care facility. With no one he knows, he'll be so scared." She cried weakly, her thin shoulders shaking.

How could I refuse this woman? In her state?

Of course I had no problem taking Louis in, he was practically my family.

With a shaky voice and watery eyes, I said, "He'll be safe with me Jay. I promise."

☆☆☆☆☆☆

That afternoon, Jay had to go to the hospital for her treatment. I, however, had to go to work so Louis stayed home with my mum and Darcy.

At work, I could barely focus. My heart hurt so much for Jay and Louis. Neither of them deserved this pain, it was so unfair. Life is unfair Harry, I said to myself with a sad sigh. That much was true, unfortunately.

When I wrapped up for the day, I headed home with my head held high to keep things positive for Louis. He deserved that much. When I walked through the door, he was on the floor with Darcy in his lap. She was gurgling and cooing up at him, and no one could deny the loving grin that stretched across his beautiful face.

"Hey Loubear." I said with a smile.

He looked up and clapped happily, "Hazza's home!"

My mum came and took Darcy, since it was time for her nap. She cooed sleepily, drooling on herself and my mum's shirt. I laughed softly and ruffled Louis' hair before going to kiss my daughter. "Sleep well, sweetheart." I whispered to her and kissed her forehead.

I sat down on the floor beside Louis with a smile and he grinned back. "Want to watch a cartoon, Loubear?" I asked cheerfully. He nodded swiftly and bounced over to the DVD stack. He grabbed The Lion King and popped it in with a cheer. I sat us both down on the sofa, and he cuddled his way into my chest. He chewed on his shirt sleeve absently as the movie started.

He wrapped his arms around my torso and mumbled, "When mummy come home?"

I think my heart broke at those words.

I felt my eyes water, "Soon love. She's just running errands right now." I lifted my hand to his head and stroked his feathery hair to soothe him. He loved having his hair played with. Halfway through Mufasa's death, Louis fell asleep. I watched as Simba cried in distraught from the realization that his father was gone.

"Help!" The little lion called.

"Somebody! Anybody!"

I buried my face into Louis' hair, crying softly as not to wake him. I don't know why I was crying, I never cried during Disney movies. But I guess all I could picture was Louis' face, contorting with tears like poor Simba when Jay had to finally leave him forever.

It wasn't fair.

I kissed the top of his head and whispered against the shell of his ear, "I'll keep you safe Loubear. I promise that if it's the last thing I ever do."

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